New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, JULY 26.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4787, 26 July 1876, Page 2

New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, JULY 26.

It would seem that the Opposition cannot after all agree upon what point the Government are to be turned out. On financial separation the majority of members from Otago and Auckland can agree. On a desire to get rid of the Ministry, under any circumstances, the Auckland majority, and a few members from Canterbury, are in happy concord. But on either question it is, according to latest reports, difficult, if not impossible, to find a political trinity. It is to be hoped, however, that the Opposition will bring down either financial separation proposals, or at least, a vote of want of confidence in the Ministry. In the interests of the country it is not right that the present position of affairs should be permitted to continue. In the face of threats of all kinds, and of accusations plentifully indulged in, the Cabinet have acceded to every request made by the Opposition for time to mature a policy. To each request for delay there has been shown the utmost consideration. The last request took the form of a demand that the tables in connection with the Financial Statement should he brought down and the Public Works Statement made before the Opposition could do something. Well, it is not too much to say that according to all present appearance the Opposition are not prepared to do anything definite, but are quite content to threaten, and annoy, and delay. Now, it is plain that whilst the Cabinet should give every facility for fair and free discussion, and should also afford the Opposition all the proper data they may require in order to show how worthless are the Government policies and the Government measures, yet that the questions which have to be settled during the session cannot be indefinitely postponed in order to suit the whims or caprices of any section of the House, or the prejudices of certain members. A limit to the existing state of things must be fixed, and it really seems to us as if the time for fixing that limit had very nearly approached. We have heard of a separation resolution and of a no confidence resolution ad nauseam , and yet neither the one nor the other has made its appearance. All fair time for either or both will very soon have passed, and it would not astonish us to find the House resolving that work must be proceeded with, and that the interests of the colony cannot be sacrificed, even though, with _ the best intentions in the world, the Cabinet desire to avoid any appearance of refusing the Opposition all the facilities they may deem requisite for showing that the present Government is unfit any longer to hold the reins of power. The agreement come to last night as to the land resolutions of Mr, Whitaker, shows plainly that the opinions we have advanced will be joined in by members generally. Mr. Whitaker’s resolutions are not in the nature of a vote of want of confidence; but the Government having declared their intention to oppose these resolutions, they are of course prepared to stand or fail by the result of such action. If those who call themselves the Opposition cannot agree upon any tangible course of conduct which shall at once test the question between themselves and the Government as to who is to carry on the business of the country by leading the House, it would be better if they could accept Mr. Whitaker’s resolutions as a pied a terre in want of any better. Under any circumstances they cannot grumble if, should they come down with nothing definite before the discussion on those resolutions next Friday, the House should make up its mind, after the disposal of those resolutions, to allow of no further delay detrimental to the colony and of no use to the Opposition as a party.